Timeless
by lipstixstain
Summary: [AU] Emma & Killian grew up under the same roof in the Fairytale World. On the eve of their wedding, Regina puts the kingdom under a curse and the young lovers are ripped away from each other, and are forced to start over. Killian, now known as Scott, is a fisherman in Storybrooke and Emma is the town's sheriff. Emma and Scott's paths meet and nothing is ever the same again.
1. Chapter 1 - Ten

Kings, Queens, gowns and parties were all Emma had grown up with. Don't sit like this, don't stand like that; don't run across the gardens in your new dress, and all the other reprimands you can imagine. Being the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming wasn't easy but she wouldn't have had it any other way.

When Emma was ten, she remembered playing quietly in one of the gardens when she heard somebody calling for help. She ran to see who it was and saw a boy, not much older than she with bright blue eyes, as blue as the sea, and hair as dark as a night without stars. He was bruised and filthy, his clothes tattered. He looked afraid but his eyes betrayed sadness.

"Who are you?" she inquired, her mother would've had a heart attack if she had heard her tone.

"Killian," the boy shouted, "Killian Jones. And you must be Princess Emma." Emma furrowed her brow and crossed her arms and said, "You don't have to call me Princess. Just Emma will do." Killian grinned at her and she asked him, "What are you doing out there alone?"

He inhaled a shuddering breath as if trying not to cry in front of the princess and quietly said, "My father abandoned me. I had been looking for him all day. A fisherman told me he saw him walk off the harbor and into the water before the sun rose. He's dead… And I'm alone." He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and straightened his posture.

Emma walked closer to the gate that divided them and reached out her hand through the bars. He walked over and took it; she squeezed his hand gently and smiled. "It's going to be okay, Killian. Stay here, I'll be right back." Emma nodded once, much like her father did, and ran into the castle to look for her mother.

A few moments later, she returned with her mother Queen Snow White. Snow opened the gate and let Killian in.

"Emma told me all about you, honey. You'll be okay. I promise." Snow told him and he walked side by side with the Queen. For a second, she thought he looked familiar but then dismissed the idea. It was then that Emma noticed he was only a bit taller than her, with a lean but sturdy body for a boy of his age. She shook herself out of her reverie, and walked next to him into the castle. No one knew that that moment had been destiny's hand at play. This was only the beginning of their story.


	2. Chapter 2 - Fourteen

**Hey guys! **

**I didn't properly introduce myself in the first chapter (oops, I'm new here) but my name's Maria and I'm super glad you like my stuff so far :) **

**I do not own Once Upon a Time, or any of its wonderful characters. I wish I did though… **

**Enjoy! **

At fourteen, Killian had teased Emma quite a lot as she was growing into a young woman. After her parents had taken him in, he worked as a kitchen boy. Though he had to work, he had a home and that was enough for him; especially because he had a friend like Emma.

He enjoyed teasing her and seeing her become flustered while trying to fight him back. He wasn't going to lie: he had developed feelings for her, but he wasn't going to tell her that. Not when she was a princess and he was the kitchen boy; but maybe someday. For now, he'd just have to tease her for her outrageous new gown.

"Emma, when is your mother going to realize that you are not a cloud? Much less a ghastly pink one?" Killian smirked as he sat down on the chair next to Emma's mirror. Emma rolled her eyes at him, which she was famous for, and said,

"I couldn't agree more." She looked at herself, slouched and sighed. "I hate it," she said simply. Killian laughed all too loudly at her comment,

"Of course you do. It's…" he trailed off.

"It's not what?"

"It's not you. At all."

"Then what do you think _is_ me?"

Emma raised an eyebrow, something she had learned from him, while he simply shrugged. He got up from the chair and circled Emma, looking at her up and down. She grew nervous and started playing with a strand of her golden hair. Killian chuckled to himself and stopped right behind her, tossing the stand over her shoulder.

"Well first of all, pink is not your color. I was thinking more along the lines of a red dress. And exchange the ruffles for something more ethereal," he smoothed one side of her skirt slowly as he watched her tense up. He turned her to face him.

"It would bring out those emerald gems you have for eyes, lass. Believe me." That was the first time he had ever called her anything other than Emma. He tried not to look shocked, but that didn't stop her from showing it. Her eyes widened and Killian chuckled,

"Aye, those gems." He stroked her reddening cheek with his finger.

"What are you doing?" She asked, her eyebrow still raised. He froze; he'd been caught in his own flirty act but quickly recovered.

"You had an eyelash on your cheek," he said as he waved his hand behind him, quickly turning to leave.

"Killian."

"Yes, Emma?"

"Thanks."

"For?"

"The dress suggestion. And for always being there for me when I thought no one else was." She smiled as she saw him slowly grin, lick his lips and nod.

"You're welco-" He trailed off with widened eyes when Emma planted a kiss on his cheek. She turned around so he wouldn't see her cheeks glowing red. He chuckled and walked out of her room.

Emma sat down on her bed and buried her face in her hands; she suppressed a smile and sighed.

"Oh you've done it now, Emma. What the hell have you gotten yourself into?" she muttered to herself.


	3. Chapter 3 - Fifteen

**Hello all! **

**To those of you who favorited/reviewed/followed my fic, I love you. I can't for you guys to see everything that comes next! **

**My chapters are short at the moment but just you wait. **

**Hope you like it :)**

On her 15th birthday, Emma did, in fact, request that she wear a red dress. Her parents never understood the obsession with wearing a red dress but she'd never tell. She knew the minute Killian would see her in it, he would know it was their secret and only theirs.

She walked out to the grand hall in her dress when Killian was walking down the opposite direction and he dropped the tray he was carrying with a clang.

"Emma?" he asked, with a voice too high an octave, out of pure shock. He cleared his throat, "I mean, Emma? Is that you? Don't you have somewhere to be on a lovely afternoon like this, lass?" She stifled a laugh; he was rambling, something he only did when he was nervous.

"Killian, you're rambling again." She told him. He simply stared and blinked once. "Uh-huh…" he managed to say, still staring.

"You look…" he began, while straightening himself and taking a step closer to her. "You look stunning. It's breathtaking, darling." Emma couldn't help but blush as brightly as her ball gown. Not only had he called her beautiful; he had called her darling. He fixed a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear.

In one swift movement, she grabbed his wrists, leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the lips, then smiled at him. He looked like he'd been hit with a frying pan in the head: dizzy, ecstatic and flustered all at once.

"I'll see you after the ball, Killian. Oh and this is our secret," Emma whispered to him in the quiet hall.

"Like the dress?"

"Yes. Like the dress." She turned around and walked away, with a huge grin on her lips.

He, too, was smiling. He ran a hand through his black hair and laughed quietly to himself. Emma had kissed him. And nothing could ruin his happiness right now.

Months passed in their secret little love game. They would steal kisses whenever no one was looking and he would stay sitting in her room listening to her stories and telling some of his own way into the wee hours of the morning. Snow and Charming never suspected a thing. That made it much easier for the two of them to carry on with this thing they had.

Until the Sea War was declared.


	4. Chapter 4 - A Million Shattered Pieces

***to the tune of the bridal march***** here comes the angst, all laced in pain **

**And here's where things start hurting. You'll enjoy it, though. **

**Trust me ;) **

**I do not own Once Upon a Time or Killian Jones or Emma Swan or any of the perfectly imperfect characters I'm in love with. **

Killian, at fifteen, had only lived and worked in the castle for the last five years. He was a young man and he wanted to see what was out there in the world, the Sea War being an excellent chance to do exactly that but he couldn't bear to leave Emma behind. But since their love was being held a secret, her parents had begun to search for suitors for her and he was beginning to grow jealous, even if she did feel nothing for them.

His jealousy took control of his emotions one day, as he stormed into the West Wing of the castle and found Emma talking to one of her "suitors." Killian stopped frozen in his tracks when he saw the other one tuck a loose strand of hair behind Emma's ear.

"Emma, may I have a word with you?"

Emma and the other boy looked over, startled. She whispered, "Excuse me," to the suitor and ran over to Killian.

"What is it?"

"What's with this lad?"

"The hair thing he just did?"

"Yes! That's our thing. Well, my thing. With you!" Killian retorted as he crossed his arms across his chest, lowering his eyebrows.

"Seriously? I am merely playing along and then politely turning them all down."

"It sure doesn't seem like it, lass."

"Okay what the hell, Killian?"

"Emma, I… I don't like seeing you with other 'suitors' or whatever you call them. I don't. Even if it is just for show! And for the sake of your parents. Because it hurts me and I feel threatened."

"Babe, it shouldn't because I would never go for any of them! You're mine, Killian. Always."

"Well, the feeling is mutual, love. But you either tell your parents about us and be happy or obey them and keep hurting me. Hurting the both of us. What's your choice, Emma?"

Emma stayed quiet. "Killian, I… I have to think this through."

"Really? Do you really have to think this through? You just said it yourself. I'm yours. And you have to think about it? So that you don't upset your parents? Emma, for once, do something that makes you happy. Not them. You. And until you figure that out…" He didn't want to say it. But he did and he regretted it a moment later.

"I'm leaving."

Emma's eyes filled with tears and she tried to blink them away. "What?"

"I'm leaving. The war needs soldiers and I enlisted. I'm sorry."

"Killian, please…" She stifled a sob as the first tear slid down her cheek. "Please don't leave. Not now."

"Emma, I have to. Until you sort things out and decide to tell your parents about us, I'll be out at sea. I leave in the morning."

She took a deep breath as the tsunami in her eyes rolled out like the tide. He took her hand in his and kissed it.

"We'll see each other again soon. I promise." Then he wiped away her tears, took her face in his hands and kissed her lips in a way he had never done before. "I promise…" he whispered again. And with that, he turned and walked away.

Heartbroken, she ran to her room and sobbed into her pillow. One moment of weakness and he left. Although he was coming back, she shouldn't have said that she would think about it. If she hadn't said that, he wouldn't be leaving.

The following morning, she saw his ship sail away from her window. Emma couldn't contain her emotions and was never able to express why she was so sad all the time to her parents. They would never understand.

The princess was not supposed to fall in love with the servant boy. She was supposed to fall in love with the prince, like her mother had. And now she had to pay for it; for falling hopelessly, completely, irrevocably in love with Killian Jones. Killian Jones, the servant boy, the sailor, the lost boy, her best friend. And now he was gone.

Killian faced just as much as a low blow as she. He wasn't able to focus correctly on his training because he was thinking of her the whole time. So in one of the major battles, he faked his own death, jumped off his ship and was saved by another passing ship; a pirate ship.

The pirates welcomed him with a mix of relief and disgust. They needed a cabin boy but at the same time, it was another mouth to feed. Soon enough, he proved to be more than a cabin boy and was promoted to be the Captain's first mate.

However when the Sea War ended two years later, the sailors returned home and the news was given to Charming and Snow: Killian Jones was dead. It pained them both greatly but they knew who would be hurt more than anyone. Emma. They both went into Emma's room because they believed best that she heard it from them.

A knock on the door, "Emma, honey, can we come in?"

"Yes," she replied. Snow came in, Charming following her; both with grave looks on their faces. "What is it, Mom?" Her parents looked at each other and she knew. Emma's stomach dropped and her heart shattered. She took a ragged breath as her eyes began to tear up,

"He's dead, isn't he? Killian?"

"Honey, I'm so sorry." Her father walked up to her and gave her a hug. She couldn't handle the pain so she burst into tears. Emma sobbed into her father's shirt. "Daddy, I loved him," she whispered.

"We all did," he told her.

"No, Daddy. I _loved_ him."

Charming looked taken aback but hugged Emma even tighter. Snow knew deep down something between the two of them was bound to happen. She had seen the way Emma had looked at him when she first rescued him from the streets when they were both just ten years old. It just broke her heart to see her daughter look so sad.

That night, Emma did not sleep. He was gone. He was never coming back.

_We'll see each other again soon. I promise. _

Killian had broken his promise and along with that, her heart. Emma would never be the same again.


	5. Chapter 5 - Eighteen

**To every single person who has read/followed/reviewed/favorited so far: **

**THANK. **

**YOU. **

**SO. **

**MUCH. **

**Now here's the next chapter, enjoy ;) **

**I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of these wonderful characters. **

A year later, Emma's eighteenth birthday would have marked three years since she and Killian had shared their first kiss. Three years since the red dress incident. And on that day, there was a pirate attack on the castle.

Guards running around madly, weapons clanging, armor falling, shouts echoing and chaos bleeding through the walls of Emma's home.

"Emma, stay in your room!" her father shouted.

"Dad, I want to help you!" she retorted.

"No, it's too dangerous, I want you safe. Don't come out until I tell you to."

"But Mom's fighting!"

"She has experience, you, on the other hand, do not."

"I'll never have any if you don't give it to me!" She yelled, frustrated at everything.

"Emma, do as I say. I won't have another word on the subject."

Emma rolled her eyes at him and ran to her room. That's what she got for being a princess. She couldn't help anybody because she was 'too fragile' or 'too ladylike.'

Oh, to hell with being ladylike.

Emma changed out of her princess dress into her tights, boots, and coat getup. This was way more comfortable than her dresses. She grabbed the sword she had stolen from the weapons room when she was eleven, from under her bed.

Just as she was going to push the door to her room open, she heard voices outside. She stayed back for a moment and then heard a clang from her window. Emma swore under her breath and pointed the sword at the window, holding her breath.

She saw a hand and then a hook trying to climb into her room. Emma got closer, a little too close, and watched as the stupid pirate climbed in. Well he was in for a surprise, she thought.

A figure clothed in black fell through her window, gasping and panting. Emma stood by and watched as he recovered his composure. He had a hook for a left hand, a stubbly beard growing in, and hair as black as a night without stars.

"Who are you?" she inquired, surprised with her childish tone.

The man looked up and Emma dropped her sword. He had bright blue eyes, as blue as the sea itself. She stood there shaking as he gaped at her. He then grinned that grin she had fallen in love with.

"Killian. Killian Jones. Now I promised you something and I kept it. Come here, love." He said as he opened his arms for her. Emma smiled right back and ran into his arms and into a hug that seemed to last a lifetime.

"Killian. Oh my goodness, you're alive," she whispered as tears streamed down her face.

"You thought I was dead?" She looked at him and said

"Well that's what the sailors said when they returned a year ago and you weren't on that ship. I've been numb and cold and distant since then."

"Well, truth be told, the second I said I was leaving, I wanted to take it back. And the morning I had to get on a ship? I sulked. I sulked and was angry with myself every night because I couldn't bear to be away from you. And during the first major battle? I faked me own death and was saved by a passerby pirate ship. I became first mate to a captain. Then that captain died and they made me captain. Then I got hand cut off by an imbecile crocodile…"

"Crocodile?" she asked. "Well, I call him crocodile, he's actually rather a nasty man. Anyway, I go by the name of Captain Hook on the ship. But to my darling princess, I'll always be Killian Jones." He kissed her when he finished and she returned the kiss, as she ran her fingers through his soft black hair. He pulled away with grin on his face, his first real grin in three years because he was back in the arms of his princess.

"Wait. So why did you attack the castle?" Emma asked, with an eyebrow raised. "Well… the crew wanted some gold, I wanted to make a big entrance for my return to you." She playfully hit his chest.

"Ow!" Killian exclaimed in pain, "I leave and you grow your nails out like cat's claws and become stronger? Well, I do love the sound of a strong woman." He said suggestively, with a smirk. She rolled her eyes at him.

"There's the eye roll! Oh I've missed it. And I've missed you."

Emma teared up once again with happiness because he was back with her. Missing a hand but hey, he hadn't changed a bit. Except physically. Lord knows what three years can do to a boy.

All in his leather clad glory, Killian had grown a scruffy beard and there was chest hair visible at the opening of his shirt. His left hand had been replaced with a silver hook. He had also become a lot more muscular than the last time she had seen him. Killian's eyes seemed brighter but it was only because of the black lining that had been drawn around them. But he was still her Killian and she couldn't be happier.

"I love you, Killian," Emma whispered. He kissed her, passionately and then stopped and told her he loved her too. The moment would've been perfect if it hadn't been for Charming bursting through the door, finding the princess and the pirate tangled in each other's arms.

"EMMA WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? Get away from the… pirate" Charming spat back that last word with hatred in his voice. Killian chuckled and stepped in front of Emma, taking a bow for the king.

"Your Majesty, I believe you do not recognize me. It's me, Killian Jones." The king pointed the sword at Killian's neck angrily at these words. "How dare you mock the identity of the dead? Killian Jones was a servant boy and a sailor. He died an ho-"

Emma cut her father off and stood between the two quarreling men. "Dad. Look at him in the eyes and tell me that is not Killian. Tell me those are not the blue eyes of the boy I saved from the streets when I was ten years old."

Charming finally looked at Killian and the anger from his face vanished. As if it had never existed. Killian whispered to him "Oh, come on, lad. Can't you recognize a kitchen boy when you see one?" The king chuckled and put a hand on Killian's shoulder and smiled, "I can't with all that eye paint going on." The men roared with laughter as Emma stood next to them, grinning from ear to ear.

"Emma, honey, we'll talk about this with your mother over dinner as soon as I get the pirates out of here. Or are you willing to get rid of them yourself?" Charming asked. Killian made a face and nodded, "I'll get them out. Don't worry, Your Majesty. Hang on a second here, love. Be back in a mo." He kissed her forehead before dashing off to drive his now ex-pirate crew away.

That night during dinner, the Charmings and Killian were reunited for the first time in three years. The young man told of his adventures with great pride. He held back the ones he was ashamed of, such as his near death experience with the mermaids, but knew he would eventually tell Emma as secrets between the sheets.

Charming and Snow kept studying Killian and looking at each other as if they thought the same thing. He was the spitting image of someone they knew, or had known, but they could not figure out whom. They dismissed the idea just as Snow had eight years ago when they took him in, and decided to just be overjoyed with the young man's return. They were indeed thankful for Emma had not looked this happy since she was fifteen.

After dinner, Emma went to bathe and she returned to her room in her nightgown, drying her hair with a towel. She sat in bed and thought about all the events that had happened that day.


	6. Chapter 6 - Two Souls

**You want fluff? Read this chapter.**

**You want a dash of steamy romance? Read this chapter. **

**You want feels? Read this chapter. **

**Slight smut warning. **_**Slight. **_**Now enough of my rambling and enjoy the chapter! **

**I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its magnificent, perfect characters. **

She heard a knock on the door and she stood up to get it. Killian strode in, still wearing his clothes from earlier except for the heavy leather coat and boots.

"Hello, lass. May I come in?" he whispered, in a husky tone she had never heard before. It sent a shiver down her spine and she loved how it felt. "You may," Emma replied, eyebrow raised at him with smirk on her face. At first Killian walked in, then looked around and scampered to her bed and pounced on it as if it was his own. He made himself comfortable, with his hands behind his head and then followed to pat the bed next to him, motioning for his favorite blonde to join him.

Emma sat on the bed next to him brushing her long hair, then felt his gaze lingering on her. "What?" she asked him. "Nothing. It's just… I haven't seen you in three years and I want to enjoy this." he told her, running a finger up and down her arm. She cursed herself for getting goose bumps at this. This made Killian smile.

"Can I ask you something, Killian?" The sound of his name coming from Emma always managed to make his heartbeat twice as fast.

"Anything, love."

"Well you were out for three years and looking the way you look, were there…" she stopped herself, afraid of his answer. "Were there other girls?" Killian looked at her, upset with a hint of surprise. He sat up and took her hand in his, blue eyes meeting green, "There were girls who tried, yes, but none of them succeeded. My heart has always belonged to you and only you. Never doubt that."

At this, Emma sighed with relief. "Now where there any other suitors?" he asked her, with a cheeky smirk. "No, actually. After the news came that you were dead, I told my parents to cut off all connections with other kingdoms because I was in mourning. But now that you're here…" she paused and kissed his cheek. "You're all mine."

"You missed, love."

"What?"

"Your lips missed the target. That kiss was not meant for my cheek." He smirked and pulled the lace collar of her nightgown to make her come closer to him with his hook.

Then he kissed her and she returned the kiss. With each return, the kiss was deepened further. His moved his hook arm and slid it down her side and wrapped it around her waist. Emma responded back enthusiastically by slowly pushing him back onto the bed. A quiet chuckle escaped Killian's lips before crashing them onto hers again, like a tidal wave.

In the heat of the moment, Emma pulled away from the kiss and smirked at him. Killian raised an eyebrow as if to know exactly what she was thinking. Her smile turned into a grin and she nodded, slipping her hand underneath his shirt. He took this as a safe sign and they went all the way.

For long while afterwards, they couldn't tell where one of them ended and the other began. It was all a mess of wild blonde and black hair, an entanglement of limbs and a burning flame passion and love between the two souls. When the castle's clock tower struck three times in the early morning, they lay under the covers with no layers of clothing separating their bare bodies.

"I love you, Emma," he whispered, as he put his arm around her shoulder and pull her closer. He could feel her smiling as her head lay to rest on his chest. She closed her eyes and whispered back with a joyful sigh,

"I love you too, Killian."

They were reunited once again and that was all either of them cared about at this very moment.


	7. Chapter 7 - Nineteen

**Some angst, some fluff, something for everyone! **

**Note: I included one of my absolute favorite headcanons that the fandom has formulated over the years. Hope you like how I made it turn out! **

**As much as I wish I did, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters or storylines or anything in between. **

After Killian's return to the castle, he was not treated as a kitchen boy anymore. He was not of royal status but Snow and Charming gave him a room for himself with everything he needed. His return brightened everyone's mood in the castle, especially Emma, who wouldn't stop beaming. Every moment they possibly could, they spent it with each other, whether it was whispering secrets on Emma's balcony underneath the light of the moon and stars or just simply taking a stroll hand in hand through the gardens by day.

On Killian's 19th birthday, a box was left for him in the servant's quarters. It was a plain small brown box with a blue string tied around it and a note hanging from it with his name written in elaborate cursive. It was given to Snow White to give to Killian.

To her surprise, the Queen walked in and saw Emma and Killian kissing in the far corner of his room, near the balcony. She cleared her throat and the couple jumped and stopped abruptly.

"Sorry…" Snow said, quietly. "But there was a package left for you, Killian. Happy birthday!" Killian got up, his eyebrows knitted together, trying to figure out who could've left him that. He tore the box open to see a ring. The ring had a red stone with flowers with seven petals and stars engraved around it. He put it on his index finger to try it on.

"Perfect fit." he whispered to himself.

"Babe, a note fell from the package," Emma said as she picked it up and handed it to him. Snow looked from her daughter to the young man to the piece of paper back to him. She had a feeling it was the answer to why he had looked so familiar to her all these years. He sighed and read aloud,

"Killian,

If you are reading this, it means today is your 19th birthday. And it also means I am long gone from your life and I hope you have grown into the man I knew you would become someday. Take this ring as a last reminder of both your mother and I. The reason you never met your mother was because she was a mermaid named Ariel. Your grandfather never approved of her so I had to leave her but she was already pregnant with you and after your birth, she left you with me. I was a horrible father and for that I am sorry. We agreed that during your tenth year, I would leave to be reunited with her but I couldn't handle the idea of drowning my son to be with his mother so I left you to give you your best chance. For that, please forgive me and have a happy birthday. Your father, Prince Eric."

By the time he finished the letter, Killian's voice was breaking. Like mother, like daughter, both Emma and Snow's mouths were in a perfectly shaped O's. Snow finally realized why the fierce blue eyes looked so familiar. They were his mother's and they shone bright in contrast to his pitch-black hair, like his father's.

"I'll leave you two alone for a moment." Snow announced as she turned around, closing the door behind her. Emma had been staring at the door after her mother left and she quickly turned to Killian. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring blankly ahead of him.

"Babe?" she asked.

No answer.

"Please say something, Killian."

He simply looked at her and she saw the pain in his eyes. Killian was holding back tears that had been threatening to be spilled since the day they met.

"After all these years, I finally got the answers I wanted. Why I never met my mother," he said as he threw a pillow at the wall. "Why my father was so distant when he was with me," Killian ripped the note his father had left him as he said this angrily. "And why I was left alone, all of it, Emma, everything." Emma rushed over and stood in front of him and held his head in her hands.

"Killian, look at me." He looked up and stared into her big green eyes, tears streaming down his own. He reached up and wrapped his hand around her wrist.

"What, love? I'm sorry you have to see me like this."

"Don't be, okay? If I didn't love you, I would've left you here to deal with this on your own. If I didn't love you," she sighed. "I would've ignored your cry for help nine years ago when we met." His lower lip quivered as she said this, knowing she was right. All along the only person who had ever cared for him this much had been this girl right in front of him.

"If you think about it, lass, if my dad had never ditched me, I would've never met you. We would've never been friends. We would've never fallen in love. This moment wouldn't be happening right now." Killian whispered to her and kissed the palm of her hand that was resting on his cheek. He ran his fingers up and down the length of her arm, sending shivers down her spine. He _really_ wasn't aware of the effect he had on her.

"See? Everything happens for a reason. Your parents left and I arrived. Life is funny, isn't it?" Emma told him and kissed his forehead. Killian pulled her in for a hug. 'I love you' need not be said right now. It was the little things that showed it.

That night, Killian picked up the pieces of the broken farewell letter from his father. He stood on his balcony and thought about what Emma had said. He really did love her and the feeling was mutual. It always had been. He took a deep breath, chuckled to himself and let go of the letter. Leaving that as closure to his past and knew his future would be a bright one, especially if his princess was a part of it. It really had been a good birthday after all.


	8. Chapter 8 - One Question

**Hi there guys! **

**This chapter is kinda on the short side BUT it's super fluffy so expect some smiles, maybe even some fangirling, idk, just read and enjoy ;) **

**I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its wonderful characters. **

Killian had been thinking about this for a while, a very, very, very long while and decided it was about bloody time to do this. He just had to pluck up the courage to ask her parents.

But what was wrong with him? He had had the courage to sword fight, invade villages, steal things, and while he was not proud of it, he had still done those things. So why couldn't he just ask one simple question?

He decided the time was right and he went looking for Snow and Charming. To his surprise, he found them in the library; the last place he had looked. Killian knocked twice and the royal couple jumped at the sound.

"Sorry, Your Majesties," he told them with a small smile. He cleared his throat. "May I ask you something?" The look on his face confused Snow but Charming knew immediately. It was the same look he'd had on his face the day he realized he wanted to marry Snow. Charming took a deep breath, bracing himself for what was coming next.

"Of course. What is it?" Charming told him. He saw Killian mimic his breathing and then said, "Well. It's…" he paused and smiled to himself, "It's just that tomorrow would be ten years since Emma and I met and I… well, I want to ask her to marry me. I came here to ask for your permission. Please. It would mean the world to me because well… she is my world."

Snow's face lit up at the sound of that. Charming felt a slight pang of pain because that would mean he doesn't have a little girl anymore and even then, he was overjoyed at the news. The king and queen looked at each other for a moment and knew they need not even consider their reply.

"You have our permission, Killian." Snow told him quietly and held out her hand to him. He took it and grinned while shaking it. She rolled her eyes, reminding him so much of Emma, and pulled him into a hug.

He then turned to Charming, who had a stern look on his face. Killian's eyes widened in fear, panicking and fearing that Charming would change his mind. Right when he thought the worst was going to happen, the king broke into a smile, putting a hand on his shoulder and whispering,

"I can't think of anyone better for my daughter to spend the rest of her life with. Take care of her."

"Thank you. I won't let either of you or her down, Your Majesty. I promise." Killian replied and turned to leave.

"Oh by the way," Charming called out to him. He turned to look at his future in-laws, his head cocked to the side. "It's Charming."

He chuckled as he opened the door of the library to leave and head to his bedroom for a sleepless night of jitters. It was a funny thing. Snow had always loved him, as if he was her own son. Charming had always seen him as a tool of separation from his daughter. But nevertheless, Charming had been more of a father to him than his own. And after ten years, he'd gotten the approval of her father.

On his walk to his bedroom, Killian took off the other ring he always wore. This one had a sapphire and a mermaid tail that would wrap around his smallest finger. Emma had always particularly loved it because she said it was the same color of his eyes and he smiled at the thought. That was the one he was going to give her and he could hardly wait for the next sunrise.


	9. Chapter 9 - Ten Years Later

**I am 100% responsible for the feels I am about to cause and I'm not one bit sorry [evil giggle] **

**Hope you guys enjoy this even fluffier addition to the tale so far! **

**Although I wish I did, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters. Adam and Eddy do. And my goodness, are they lucky that they do.**

* * *

As he had predicted, Killian had not slept. He had spent the night sitting by the window, staring at the ring he was going to give Emma. Just then, the first rays of the sun hit the ring and the color refracted on the wall behind him. He looked up and saw the sun begin to rise. Killian held the ring to his lips and kissed it for good luck.

Later that day, Emma ran into him in the kitchens.

"Still hungry?"

"No, just reminiscing all of the days I slaved away in here."

"Slaved away? Didn't I spend most of them with you?" she smirked and chuckled at her reaction. He reached out for her hand and she took it, while sitting on his lap. With his hook, he gently pulled the sleeve of her dress off her shoulder and planted a kiss on it. Emma smiled to herself at the small gesture.

"Point taken, lass. So, yes, I had fun here. D'you remember the flour fight?"

"Of course I do! You had flour stuck between your eyelashes." She tried to gasp out in between a fit of laughter.

"Look who's talking, Ms. I-Had-Flour-Shoved-Down-My-Petticoats!" Emma suddenly stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow at him. He roared with laughter at her expression.

"Killian, please don't remind me. I had an itch for days."

"Oh come on, love, you know that for it was worth, it was a lot of fun."

"Agreed." She placed a quick kiss on his forehead.

"But… you have had more fun with me. Believe me, I know."

Emma looked at him and playfully shoved his shoulder. He was known for his innuendos, especially since they were all directed at her. They had become even more frequent since his return and the night of her eighteenth birthday. And even with his jokes and his lack of a left hand, he understood her better than anyone else ever had.

The hours burned away like the wax of a candle, as they hid in their little corner in the kitchens. All of a sudden, Killian remembered, with a look of alarm, what today was and what he had wanted to do for so very long.

"What time is it, lass?"

"Almost sunset, why?"

"Come with me!" He took her hand as they ran out of the kitchens, through the passage that connected the kitchens to the dining room straight to the grand hall and out the front doors.

"Killian! Killian, what the hell are you doing? What's the rush out he—" Emma began to inquire but he cut her off.

"You'll understand in a second, darling. Look, do you know what today is?"

"Wednesday?"

"No, think harder."

She frowned and knitted her eyebrows together in thought, then her eyes lit up as she remembered.

"Today's the day we met…" she began.

"…Ten years ago." Killian finished for her. "And we're standing on the exact same spot where you first spoke to me." Blue was clashing with green as he took a deep breath and composed himself on the inside, his heart threatening to burst from his chest.

"Listen, love, for ten years, you have been my best friend, my savior, my lover, my sun and moon and stars and everything in between. Without you, I'd either be dead or a horrible, bitter pirate roaming the world with a meaningless life filled with regret. But you found me when I was lost and I'll never find the proper way to thank you in words. So I guess I'll just thank you with my actions."

Killian got down on one knee and he heard Emma's breath catch in her throat. He grinned at her and held up the ring to her.

"Emma, will you marry me?"

She tried not to cry, but the tears welled in her eyes as she nodded. He sighed with relief and joy and placed the ring on her finger.

"It's the one you always liked on me. Now it's yours, la—" Emma cut him off with a passionate kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. They pulled away breathless and she whispered in his ear,

"You're welcome."


	10. Chapter 10 - Twenty One

**ANGST WARNING**

**Time to shake things up a bit ;)**

**I hope you're all ready to handle what comes next. ENJOY!**

**As much as I wish I did, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters.**

* * *

After announcements and grand balls, invitations and dress fittings, complaints flying in from other kingdoms because the princess had not chosen their sons and last minute touches: Emma and Killian's wedding was finally just a night away.

Emma was trying on her dress for what felt the millionth time and she rolled her eyes because every time she tried it on, it still wasn't her wedding day. Though she would never admit it to her mother, she had been dreaming of her wedding day since way before she had ever met Killian.

A knock on the door stopped twirl mid-way.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, lass."

"Hang on a moment!" Emma ran behind her fold out dressing curtains and got out her dress as fast as she could. She threw on a lighter dark blue gown, fidgeting with her hair while she ran to get the door.

"Well, that's a nice look for you." He whispered quietly as his eyes scanned her every curve. She hadn't noticed till now, but this was her most form fitting dress.

"Thank you, but it's bad luck to see so much of the bride before the wedding, babe."

"Oh, to hell with old tradition," he said as he did air quotations and rolled his eyes with emphasis. "Is it a crime to want to see my princess?"

He leaned down to kiss her forehead, then her lips. Emma deepened it as she put an arm around his waist and he placed his hand behind her head. Just as he was about to undo the ties of the front part of her dress with his hook, there were quick footsteps heard in the hallway.

"Bloody hell, what now?" Killian murmured with frustration as he pulled away from the kiss.

Guards were approaching with urgency and a look of worry painted clearly on each of their faces. Emma knew this was a bad sign.

"Princess, your father requests the presence of the two of you in the Grand Hall immediately."

"Yes, William, we'll be there right away." She addressed the guard as she took Killian's hand and ran down to meet her parents. As they entered the hall, they heard sobs and quiet whispers of comfort. When Emma looked closely, the crying was coming from her mother.

"Mom? Mom! What's wrong?"

The queen gave a ragged breath and said,

"Something terrible is coming, honey. Remember Regina, the woman who is raised me since I was about nine years old?"

The princes nodded slowly. "What about her?"

"She's releasing a curse on the kingdom. The curse is going to send us to a place where we won't have any happy endings and all of our happiness is going to be taken from us. But we'll remain ageless in a timeless world."

Emma felt weak and breathless, as if all the wind had been knocked out of her. She felt Killian standing behind her and quickly reached down to hold his hand. He squeezed her hand in response.

"Does this mean that the wedding is off? Does this mean that tomorrow I'll wake up and not remember any of this? Not you or Dad or—" She gasped as the tears spilled down her cheeks. "Or Killian?"

She looked at her father, who nodded once, and looked at her fiancé, who had been quietly crying to himself. Emma hugged him and said angrily,

"I don't want to forget! I want to marry you and have kids and rule the kingdom and grow old together and pass down the crown to our eldest. None of this is fair! Is there any way we can stop her? Or run away?"

Snow pointed to the window and there was heavy purple cloud heading toward the castle quickly. That was a flat-out no. There was no hope.

"The only way the spell will be broken is with when true loves find their way back together again." Charming said.

"That's quite vague isn't it, mate?" Killian replied as he held Emma close to his chest.

"It is but that was the only thing we were told." The king walked over to the both of them and told them, "We'll see you soon. Have faith and never lose hope."

"Because we'll always find each other?" Killian asked.

The Charmings all smiled at him and nodded simultaneously. This would be their last moment as a family for who knows how long. The cloud was approaching them and Emma was sobbing harder than she had this whole time. Killian looked straight into her eyes and told her,

"Keep the engagement ring on and never remove it. No matter how long it takes, I'll find you. We'll see each other again soon. I promise…"

She smiled sadly and he looked at her and tried to memorize every part of her; from her light freckles to her long blonde locks to the way her smile was slightly crooked to the side.

"I love you, Killian."

"I love you too, Emma."

They shared one last passionate kiss as the cloud of purple stormed into through the castle windows, shattering everything. Not once did they break away from the kiss. Slowly, but surely, the cloud consumed all that stood in its path and their world went black.

And nothing was ever the same again.


	11. Chapter 11 - Five Years Later

**Sorry I took long to update buuuut I needed to build up suspense for this half of the fic. **

**I have three words for you: Welcome. To. Storybrooke. **

**I do not own Once Upon a Time, or any of its perfectly imperfect characters.**

* * *

Scott had been a fisherman for as long as he could remember. Every morning, he'd wake up and go out to the harbor. He'd sell his catch to Leroy, a friend of his, and then go on to be sold in the market of Storybrooke. What had always perplexed him was that he was the only fisherman in town. Oh well, more profits for him. Then every night on his way home, he'd see the sheriff's car drive down his street.

One evening, he decided to do what he never usually did: go to Granny's Diner. For no particular reason, really, he just wanted a change of scenery. The waitress, Ruby, was being more flirty than usual when she saw him walk in.

"Can I get you anything, Scott?" she asked him, after fixing her red lipstick.

"Hot chocolate would be nice. To go." He told her with a smile.

"Right away!"

Ruby strutted away, smiling to herself, knowing she'd found her new target for the night, even though they'd met before. Her grandmother stood by wiping powdered sugar off the counter and rolled her eyes.

"Ruby, wipe that smile off your face, he's much older than you!"

"Grandma! Be quiet!"

The waitress walked back with his chocolate and receipt, her cheeks matching the hue of lips, and she set it down in front of him.

"Thank you! See you around, Ruby."

"Good night." She told him, as she locked her gaze on next prey of the night. He shook his head as he walked out the diner, thinking how Ruby would never, ever change.

Scott walked to his car and turned on the ignition. He drove for a couple of minutes until he heard the engine sputter and die. He looked over and realized the car battery had stopped working.

"Bloody hell…" he said as he smacked the steering wheel. He leaned his head on it trying to register what just happened and took a deep breath while looking around to see if anyone could help. No one. The building's lights were all out and there were no other cars around.

Just then, as if by fate, Scott heard the engine of another car coming closer. Then he saw two bright headlights and got out of the car to see who it was. A yellow buggy was parked behind his and a blonde woman emerged from it. He knew immediately it was the sheriff but then he realized he had never really _looked_ at her.

"Hi," she said as she walked over. "Dead battery?"

Scott nodded and internally smacked himself for acting like a shy teenager. He cleared his throat,

"Yes. Sadly."

"Luckily for you," she paused, while taking something out of her car. "I can jumpstart your car."

"You're a lifesaver." Scott told her, nodding to her.

"It's what I do. Hang on while I park the car in front of yours."

The sheriff did as she had said and soon was chattering away asking him questions about the car. He mostly just answered with nods, shrugs and "Yup" because he was too busy studying her.

She was beautiful; anyone that looked at her could not deny it. He studied the curve of her waist hidden beneath a red leather jacket and her knee high brown boots. She had big green eyes and full pink lips that were frowning in concentration with her handiwork. His eyes landed on the sapphire stone being held in place by what looked like a mermaid's tail resting on one of her fingers. Something clicked in him as if he had just remembered something.

_They're the same color of your eyes…_

Scott shook his head, dismissing the words in his mind. He took a deep breath and asked,

"So who do I thank for helping me?"

"Emma. Emma Swan. You don't need to call me Sheriff."

Emma. Where had he heard that before?

"Well thank you, Emma."

She chuckled, "Oh, it's no problem. Wait I told you my name. What's yours?"

"Scott Knight." He said with a smile, trying to focus on the current situation as his mind was shooting thoughts around at lightning speed.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Scott." She said as she turned to face him, finally taking a good look at him. He could've sworn he saw her eyes widen in surprise. A grin slowly spread across her face as she shook his hand.

"Hey is that hot chocolate?" Emma asked him, a new friendlier tone in her voice.

"Yes it is!"

"That's my favorite. But I only drink it with whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkled on top. I don't know. Weird childhood quirk, I guess."

"Well, I'd have to try it sometime."

She laughed and told him, "I'll join you." She was starting to walk back toward her car. Scott blurted out the question before he could think,

"So that means we'll see each other again?"

Emma froze as she had her car door halfway open and leaned on it. She turned to him and nodded.

"Maybe. Good night, Scott."

"Good night, Emma."

He got back in his car and sighed, knowing full well this would not be the last time they would see each other. He couldn't help but replay what just happened in his mind. He had the strangest, most wonderful feeling about her.

_Like he'd known her in another life… _

Scott drove back home and threw himself on his couch, exhausted and lying sprawled like a rag doll as sleep slowly consumed him. Something in him had changed but he couldn't put his finger on it quite yet. But Scott knew it had to do with Emma Swan and he was not going to rest easy until he put the pieces of this puzzle together.


	12. Chapter 12 - Two Dreams

**This is one of my absolute favorite chapters so far, so I hope you all like it as much as I do. If it's one thing I love to incorporate into the stuff I write, it's dreams.**

**I do not own Once Upon a Time, or any of its perfectly imperfect characters.**

* * *

_Stay here, I'll be right back…_

Two small hands holding on to each other.

_It would bring out those emerald gems you have for eyes, lass…_

A flash of a radiant smile.

_Do you really have to think this through? You just said it yourself. I'm yours…_

Piercing, painful heartbreak.

_We'll see each other again soon. I promise… _

Footsteps marching far away and the crashing of distant waves.

_See? Everything happens for a reason… _

The warmth of a tight hug.

_I want to ask her to marry me…_

Two nodding, joyful shadows.

_You have been my best friend, my savior, my lover, my sun and moon and stars and everything in between…_

Hearts bursting with love.

_Emma, will you marry me?_

Gleaming sapphire stone on a left ring finger.

_No matter how long it takes, I'll find you…_

The melancholy song of tears.

_I love you, Killian. _

A burning, passionate kiss.

_I love you too, Emma. _

Darkness.

Scott jerked awake and sat up, looking around his living room. He had fallen asleep on his couch, still in his jeans and red hoodie from the day before and groaned as he got up to check the time. Blinking to make sure he wasn't seeing things, the time read 3:12 am.

He ran a hand over his face trying to remember the dream he just had. It had been crazy, almost like a fairy-tale. Random flashes of color, the ghosts of a smile, whispered promises of love and the piercing look of a pair of green eyes. As he stepped into the shower, something clicked. There had been a blue ring in his dream and Scott wondered why it had looked so familiar.

He crawled into bed after his shower to try to sleep at least a couple of more hours but it clearly would not be the case. He lied in bed wide awake replaying as much of the dream as he could remember. Then it hit him.

Green eyes. A pretty smile. Blue ring. Emma.

Wait, Emma Swan? Was he dreaming about her because they had met a few hours ago or had Scott really known her in another life? Another name had been mentioned: Killian. Who the bloody hell was that? A million theories ran through his head as he lied there on his bed and slowly drifted back to sleep.

On the other side of Storybrooke, Emma was having the same dream Scott had had. She woke up suddenly and got out of bed, scratching her head, to get a glass of water.

Before she left her room, she turned back and picked up her favorite ring off her night table. A ring she always wore with a sapphire gem and a mermaid tail that would circle around her finger. She blinked and remembered the dream. The ring had been there too.

_Hmm_, she thought, _strange_.

Someone else had been in the dream with her. All she could remember was this abundance of joy, a pair of bright blue eyes, a raspy but soft voice and a hook instead of a hand.

Scott Knight? But he had both hands. She had just met him for God's sake, why would she even be dreaming about him in the first place? Emma shook the thought away and head back to bed, reminding herself that it was just a dream, nothing more. She was stubborn that way.

A couple of hours later, she woke up to the smell of coffee wafting up to her room from the kitchen. Emma headed downstairs to see her roommate and best friend, Mary Margaret leaning on the counter, stirring her mug of coffee.

"Morning, Emma!"

"Good morning. What's that you got there?"

"Coffee. But," she said as she turned and took another mug, pushing toward Emma. "That's your special dose of hot chocolate."

"Thanks," she sipped then set down the mug.

Emma thought about telling her about the dream she had. After all, Mary Margaret held nothing back from her. It was just how their friendship worked.

"I had the craziest dream last night."

"About?" Mary Margaret loved hearing and deciphering dreams, so she leaned forward on the counter between them.

"Honestly… I don't know. All I know is I heard two voices, saying things to each other over and over again. Then I saw random flashes of objects. For example, my blue ring, the one I always wear? It was in the dream. But it was being placed on someone else's finger." Emma held back the fact that there had been another pair of eyes, just in case.

Her friend furrowed her brow and frowned, processing what she had just said. She rhythmically tapped the counter, closing her eyes tight and then abruptly stopped, smacking her hand down and looking up at Emma.

"It could be a memory. Do you remember who gave you the ring?"

Emma thought about it for a moment. She had never really known who gave it to her or how she had managed to get her hands on it. She'd just always had it.

"No. I've had it for as long as I can remember."

"That's strange…"

"Did you see anyone else in the dream?"

Emma hesitated, "Yes…"

"Who?" Mary Margaret shot back, a bad attempt at masking her excitement.

"I don't really know. All I saw was a pair of bright blue eyes. Like… the color of the sea." She said as she smiled a bit to herself.

"I can't think of anyone that we know that has a pair like those. Wait you said you heard voices. What did they sound like?"

"They were both soft, like whispers. But one was raspy while the other was more like a melody."

"So… a man and a woman is what you're saying."

Emma nodded, "Basically."

"Well, crazy as it sounds, it's either a glimpse into your future or a vision of a past life."

Emma scoffed and raised an eyebrow. Mary Margaret shrugged at her.

"Could be!"

"A past life?"

"Anything is possible, Emma. You're just too stubborn to realize that." She said as she picked up the two mugs and turned to the sink to wash them.

Emma opened her mouth to argue but realized it would be useless, considering Mary Margaret had that 'Yoda-esque' way with words. They made you think. So she got up from her place on the counter and left the kitchen to get ready to face the day ahead. Her eye caught the gleam of the blue ring again before she went into the shower and she stared at it, wondering what was the significance behind it.

Little did she know that there was one other person in town just as confused as she was.


	13. Chapter 13 - The Unlikely Four

**Hello again! **

**I think this is my longest chapter yet, wow, but it's a good one! Keep in mind that this is basically a season 1 re-write so I wrote some of these characters as they were back in s1, not as they are now in almost-s4. **

**I hope you all enjoy reading this one; things start to get pretty damn interesting (or… **_**even**__**more interesting**_**, depending on how you look at it). **

**I do not own Once Upon a Time, or any of its characters. However, I adore them as if they were my own.**

* * *

Weeks went by and the two did not cross paths nor see each other. Not once. But just because they did not meet physically does not mean they did not think about each other. At random moments throughout the day, the image of the yellow buggy would pop in Scott's mind and his smile would snake its way into Emma's collection of thoughts. They'd both shake the ghosts of images away and continue on with what they were doing: Emma with her sheriff duties and Scott with his fishing.

Emma was busy filing away papers and having her lunch break one day when Regina Mills, the town mayor, burst in through the door.

"Sheriff Swan. I see you're enjoying your meal."

The sheriff stood up and wiped her hands on her jeans, ungraciously.

"Well I was, Madam Mayor. What brings you here?"

"Well, as it turns out, I was doing a bit of research and I heard that there was some unruly activity down by the lake earlier this week."

"Yeah, so?" Emma said as she raised an eyebrow and tucked her hands in her back pockets, dreading where this was going.

"It was graffiti! On public property! And you didn't do anything about it, did you?"

"I let them go. It isn't really an 'unruly' act if so many other people have done it before and they haven't been caught. That wouldn't be fair, now would it?"

Regina looked appalled and shocked, stepping closer to Emma while staring her down.

"Miss Swan, I don't care whether it is fair or not. They should've been taken in. I'm going to let this one slide but next time? That little star badge of yours will belong to me and you will be revoked of your position. Got it?"

Emma ground her teeth together to refrain from screaming at Regina. She took a deep breath and did not peel her eyes away from the mayor's at any second.

"Understood, Regina."

"Excuse me?"

"Madam Mayor." She corrected, while narrowing her eyes at her.

"That's more like it. And don't forget what I said."

With that, Regina left the Sheriff's Department and shut the door with a bang that made Emma flinch. Emma sighed angrily and sat back down grumbling to herself about how rude the mayor had been. Then looked at her half eaten sandwich and decided to continue with her lunch.

On the other side of town, Scott had finished with catch earlier than most days so he decided to drive over to Leroy's, considering the town's owner, Mr. Gold, would be there to discuss some matters with them.

Wonderful, he thought. 'Discussing matters' never meant anything good with that sour old bloke. The only thing that kept him from being too sour was his girlfriend, Lacey. God knows what was going on through that girl's head when she became his.

Scott knew Lacey from a while back. They had met playing pool one night at the local bar. He thought he could beat her, but this girl put up a good fight. She was a very intelligent lass but just not the right one for him. It was a good friendship, however. Lacey would recommend books for him to read and he would give her advice on how to deal with Mr. Gold and his bad moods, all while they drank beer on Friday nights.

He parked in front of Mr. Gold's pawn shop and opened the door, a bell chiming as he entered. Leroy waved from the counter in the back.

"Scott."

"Leroy. What'd he want?"

"I know about as much as you, kid. Nothing."

"Guess we'll have to find out."

A few minutes later, Mr. Gold pops out from the back, cane in hand and a thick Scottish accent dancing on his words as he greeted them.

"Hello, gentlemen."

The two nodded.

"You might be wondering why you're here."

"Ain't that the truth," Leroy whispered to Scott, whom couldn't disguise his almost-snort at his co-worker's words.

Gold pretended not to hear them and went on to explaining.

"I'm making an expansion of my pawn shop and of course, I require money. Money that I will need from the two of you."

Scott lowered his eyebrows, squaring his jaw. Leroy's mouth dropped open.

"WHAT?" they said simultaneously.

"I said: I would be needing money from the two of you. You two are getting more than what you should for your jobs, so I'm cutting back on your profits."

Scott went into a blind fury, spewing out words before he could stop himself, which was one of his worst habits.

"But that's all the money I have! I rely on that money to get by, Mr. Gold. Why can't you take it out of someone else's pay? Last time I checked, I'm the only bloody fisherman in this town. For fuck's sake, I'm the only bloody person who goes out and gets fish so that the population of this town gets their fair share of food. Get that through your thick head, will ya?"

Mr. Gold stayed quiet. Too quiet. He sighed and said,

"I've made my decision and so has the mayor. And you can't argue with her. So it's been decided. You'll be losing half of what you were receiving before until further notice. No further arguments please, Knight."

The bastard had the nerve to smile and tell them, "Have a nice day." Scott balled his hands into fists and stormed out of the building. As childish as it sounded, he was going to have his revenge somehow. And it was going to happen tonight.

He waited until nightfall, until after Mr. Gold had left the pawnshop. Then Scott walked up to the door and smashed the glass with his trusty old fishing rod. He put his hand through the broken glass and unlocked the door then stepped inside. Once reaching past the counter, into Mr. Gold's little safe haven in the back, he found his safe.

"Oh wonderful, old man. Next time be more careful with where you leave your money." He murmured to himself as he opened the drawer and saw the combination written at the bottom of it.

10…21…05…

Click. The safe's open and he took the amount of money that he normally would receive and shut the safe again. By the time Scott walked out of the back, an alarm went off.

"Bloody hell"

"Bloody hell, indeed, Mr. Knight." A cold voice said. He slowly turned around. Mr. Gold stood there, pointing his cane at him.

"That alarm is perfectly heard at the Mayor's and the authorities. They'll be here any moment. Now hand over the money."

Scott thought about it and then took off running past Mr. Gold and out the broken door. He kept running, forgetting about his car until he heard another engine zooming toward him. Then footsteps came charging at him and a thud against his head.

He fell back on the ground as two hands roughly picked up the money he had dropped and another silhouette approached his body on the ground. Judging by the curves of the shadow, it was a woman. Wait…

_Please don't let it be who I think it is_, he pleaded internally.

"What the hell?" a female voice said. Yup, It was her. "Mr. Gold, get back here and explain what just happened."

"The young man broke into my store and stole some money. Why? I do not know."

"Because you took half my pay for some stupid reparations. And hit my head with your bloody cane! Was that necessary?" Scott spat back harshly, his head pounding. At that instant, Emma gasped, realizing whom she had been chasing.

"Scott?"

"Hello, lass. Been a while, hasn't it?"

Mr. Gold cut in, "You two know each other?"

"Barely," she scoffed. "His battery died one night and I jump started his car. That was it."

"And you agreed to have what was it? Oh, hot chocolate with me."

The old man frowned and looked at Emma, while she glared at Scott and mouthed, "Not helping!" to him. Scott tried to hold back his laughter. He had to admit, she was feisty. He liked that about her. Then he looked into her eyes and suddenly remembered the dream he had had.

_It would bring out those emerald gems you have for eyes, lass…_

He was shaken out of his reverie when he heard her telling him to get up and he obeyed. She pulled out handcuffs.

"You're under arrest, Scott." When her hand gripped his wrist, she felt a jolt of electricity shook up her arm. He had felt it too but alas, the two wondered if the other felt it as they looked into each other's eyes for the first time. Emma nodded once,

"Get in the bug. You're sleeping in the cell tonight."

"Oh lovely…" he mumbled.

"Should've thought of that before breaking, entering _and_ stealing cash. But don't explain now. Explain tomorrow morning. Too tired now for anything, Scott. I'm sorry."

She genuinely sounded sorry and upset at the situation. Deep down, he had hoped they would see each other again but he never thought it would involve handcuffs and a throbbing headache.


	14. Chapter 14-A Thousand Questions Answered

**Looooong chapter, but a good one!**

**Tons of new information, introduction of a character, and maybe even a plot twist? Hmmm… go ahead and see for yourself, dear reader. **

**I do not own Once Upon a Time, or any of its characters. However, I adore them as if they were my own.**

* * *

"Good morning!" a light voice said as they entered through the door. Scott opened his eyes a bit and sat from where he was lying down. For a second, he forgot where he was. The restraint of his wrists helped him remember.

Great. He was in the Sheriff's department… in the cell.

He rubbed his eyes and waved at Emma as she walked in with two cups of something. Sniffing the air, he realized it was chocolate but stayed quiet seeing if she brought it up. She set them down on her desk and walked over to the cell.

"Alright, Regina isn't coming until later so I figured," Emma unlocked the cell door and jingled the keys as she smiled at him. "Let's get you out of those handcuffs for a bit. And out of this cell."

"I'm sorry, you're letting me out?" Scott asked her, still on the cot in the cell.

"Yes. But don't get used to it!" she said, narrowing her eyes at him with a small smile.

He got up and followed her to her desk and good Lord; he couldn't help but look at her walking in front of him. She sat down behind her desk and pushed over one foam cup to him. Scott looked at the whipped cream and cinnamon sitting atop the hot chocolate and grinned. Then he slowly looked up at her,

"You remembered, lass."

"Of course. Even without reminding me last night, I still owed you one."

He took a sip and nodded at her while she snorted and pointed at him.

"You got a little something on your upper lip there, Scott."

He licked it off and smirked at Emma, who rolled her eyes.

"You're something else, aren't you?"

He shrugged. Scott hated how at a loss for words he was when Emma was around.

"And you don't say much. That's strange!"

"Actually, I do. I was just savoring your special mix there, Swan."

"Did you like it?"

"Yes, very much. So you've been doing this for how long?"

She sighed, putting her cup down on the desk and leaning forward to him.

"For as long as I can remember. Childhood quirk, I guess."

"Well it's a very good creation. I'm going to call it The Emma Special."

Emma laughed, scrunching up her nose as he chuckled himself. After her laughter died down, they made eye contact for what seemed an eternity and they smiled at each other.

"The Emma Special, that's a good one."

"Thanks. But I bet you get it a lot."

"Ha! You're funny. No, I don't." She cursed herself for sharing that bit with him. Emma couldn't help it. It was just kind of easy to tear that wall down when he was around. Like they'd known each other forever. But she couldn't take a risk now, not with an almost complete stranger.

He didn't seem to hear her or if he did, he didn't say anything. Emma secretly thanked him for that and took another sip of her chocolate then looked at him right in the eye and asked,

"Okay well now that you're out here, why don't you tell me about last night?"

He rolled his eyes and sighed, resting his eyes on her gaze.

"Right. Well here goes, listen closely. Yesterday I wake up, a day like all the others in this town, go out fishing and come back early because I have a meeting with my boss, Mr. Gold. I go in with Leroy, the man that sells what I catch, to talk to him. Mr. Gold comes in and tells us that our profits are being cut in half because he wants to expand or remodel his shop or something. Point is, I get pissed off and lash out at him. Then I headed back home and went back last night. The rest is obvious. I broke in, took the money that I should be paid normally and then got caught… By Mr. Gold who alerted the authorities, which I had forgotten was _you_. So I apologize for making our second meeting so strange from the first time, lass."

Scott realized he had tightened his grip on the armrest of his chair and hadn't touched his chocolate since the first sip. He took a deep breath to calm down and drank a bit then relaxed when he realized she had placed her hand on his.

"I'm sorry that you had to end up here and if I had any say in this, you wouldn't be in here. You were doing what you thought you thought was right. But in the eyes of the law, or in this case…"

"Regina," they said simultaneously.

"Yes, her." Emma said, with a grimace. "Well according to her and Mr. Gold, you're at fault here. But I'm going to do as much as I can to make sure you are not here for very long."

Scott looked at her, trying to hide his astonishment at how fierce this woman was. He smiled and nodded once,

"Thank you, lass. No one's ever cared that much for my sake." Then kicked himself mentally for admitting that.

"No problem. If no one does it for me, I might as well do it for someone else." She did not just say that out loud. Maybe he'd disregard it like he did the previous time. Wait… previous time. Shit.

"Well then…" he began. "I owe you one, Swan."

Emma rolled her eyes at him.

"No, I mean it. I promise."

The look in her eyes changed, a flicker. As if she had remembered something important. She heard an echo in her head

_We'll see each other again soon. I promise… _

"Say that again?" she told him.

"I promise…"

Emma took a deep breath because Scott's voiced eerily matched the one she had heard in her dream. So she had been dreaming about him. Weird. She wondered why and thought of the possibility that he had dreamt the same thing.

"Is everything alright, Swan?"

She snapped back to reality, shaking her head.

"Yes. Sorry. Just processing that and uh, noted. By the way, finish up your drink in there because Regina will be here soon and I have to go out for a minute and I can't leave you out here alone. Office policy, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, lass. Cuff me."

"What?"

He held up his wrists to her and smirked.

"Cuff me."

"I hope that wasn't intended with innuendo."

"I didn't think of it that way but if you did, that was all you."

Emma scoffed, rolling her eyes and pulling out the handcuffs. She pushed him gently back into the cell, as he was still laughing at her expression, and locked up.

"I'll be right back, I swear."

"Hurry back, I'll get lonely with you!"

"Oh don't be such a drama queen, Scott."

He laughed at her response again and watched her pick up her keys, putting on her red leather jacket while running out the door. Her quick footsteps picked up speed as soon as she walked out, like she was running. He wondered why as he took a sip of his now cold chocolate.

"Mm. Still good," he muttered.

Emma jumped in her car and drove back home. She had to tell Mary Margaret about the connection she had to the dream. In less than five minutes, she was already on her front door, swinging it open.

"Mary Margaret! Mary Margaret where are you? I need to tell you something about the dream I ha— Whoa, okay there."

She found her best friend hiding under the covers with just her head poking out, smiling and blushing bright red. With a man, about their age, trying to hide himself next to her.

"Hi, Emma. What did you want?"

"Nothing. You're clearly… busy. Hey, whoever you are."

"You said she wouldn't notice!" a muffled voice came from under the covers. Coming out of hiding, was David Nolan. He worked at the animal shelter and Emma had not been expecting him there. Her face betrayed all emotion of shock she could possibly muster because her eyes had bulged out and her mouth had slightly dropped.

"I mean, Hey David!"

"Hello Sheriff Swan. I'm sorry we had to meet like this."

Wow. Quite the gentleman.

"Just Emma will do. And it's fine. I'll come back later to talk to Mary Margaret."

"No, no. It's fine. Go talk, I can wait." He said.

"You sure, hun?" Mary Margaret whispered.

_Hun? How long has this been going on?_ Emma thought.

A few moments later, Mary Margaret crawled out of bed wearing an oversized flannel buttondown, which was clearly his, and went downstairs to Emma.

"How long has this been going on?"

"What is it, Emma?"

They questioned at the same time, then looked at each other as if challenging the other girl.

"You first!" Emma shouted as Mary Margaret hid her head in her hands and blushed again. "Ha! Go."

Her roommate sighed and went on,

"Okay we met at the animal shelter the other day because I found an abandoned puppy on the road. And we talked and flirted and he asked me out for a drink after work and I accepted and we've been hanging out-slash-going out on dates-slash-hooking up for about a month now."

"A month?!" Emma whispered. "How have you hid this from me for a mon… Wow, you're… you're good." She let out a small laugh.

"Thanks, I think?"

"It was a compliment. Wait but is it official?"

"I don't know yet, Emma."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Talk to him about it! Because he looked pretty smitten and I can tell you are too. Don't lie to me, Mary Margaret, because I have that thing with lies."

"I know it's useless lying to you."

Emma smirked at her and nodded once,

"Well look at that. Mary Margaret is breaking her own rules for once."

Mary Margaret covered her face again, muffling her laughter. She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. Emma had known her long enough to know that her best friend did not believe in love at first sight but clearly, things were changing. Maybe it hadn't been first sight but she looked as elated as if it had been.

"Oh Emma, this one's different. He's… I don't know, I'm not questioning anything because everything feels right when I'm with him. And I can't explain why. It's like I've known him forever." Mary Margaret said as she smiled. "So what was it you needed to tell me?"

Emma inhaled and held her breath as she figured out a way to say it without spitting it out carelessly. She exhaled slowly, tapping her fingers on the table then running a hand through her unruly blonde curls.

"I think found the person from the dream I had," she closed her eyes tight, bracing herself for Mary Margaret's reaction.

"What? Emma what do you mean?"

"Last night, someone broke into Mr. Gold's pawnshop and I went and got him arrested but as strange as it is, I had met this guy before," Mary Margaret was about to ask her how but Emma held up her hand and waved it at her.

"Long story. Anyway, I had met him before and this morning we were talking and he said something that I heard in my dream."

"What was it?"

"He said 'I promise' and I heard those words in my dream, I swear it."

"And does he fit the description of what you saw?"

"Well, he does have bright blue eyes," Emma said quietly as she slid her hands into her pockets and sighed.

Mary Margaret seemed to be enjoying this because she pressed her lips together to hold back a smile.

"Who is he?" she asked.

"Scott Knight."

A gasp escaped her friend's lips, "The fisherman?"

At this, Emma nodded. He was the only one in town so it wasn't that hard to figure out. He was also the only person in town with an Irish accent. Not to mention he had a great smile…

Snap out of it, Emma.

"You need to tell me more about this later. Over dinner. Got that?"

"Yes, Mary Margaret," Emma said with a tone that sounded like an exasperated teenager talking to their mother. And with a wave, she walked back out the door and went to her office again. She walked in only to find a nasty surprise sitting on her desk.

Regina Mills.

"Not to be a bitch or anything but," Emma said as she walked to her desk, slamming her keys on it. "What the hell are you doing here? I get that you were supposed to come by today but not without me being here."

Regina turned sharply toward Emma, heels clicking the floor as she advanced toward the Sheriff. Her eyebrows furrowed and a frown slowly etching onto her face while closing the distance between them.

"Ms. Swan, I am the mayor of this town. Which means that I can do anything I want."

"Not if I'm not here. Not on my territory." Emma said, cocking an eyebrow at her.

"Don't test me."

"Oh, I'll test you all I want, you're in my corner of the town now. What happened while I was gone?"

This whole time, neither of them had acknowledged Scott being there. He cleared his throat and the two women jumped at the sound.

"You do know I'm still here? And I'm sure, Emma, that if you want to get an honest retelling of the last few moments here, I would probably be the best person to ask."

"How dare you say that?" Regina would've pounced on him and possibly slapped the smirk off his face, if it hadn't been for the metal bars separating them. His smirk did, indeed, fade while his bright blue eyes widened a bit but he shot a look at Emma, causing him to relax a bit. If she was there, Regina couldn't do anything to him. Right? Was that the idea he was getting? What was he thinking really?

"Madam Mayor, I am only telling the truth, which after all, is the only thing that's going to get me out of this wretched cell. Am I not right?" Scott grinned as best as he could, trying to both charm her and piss her off. The latter was what he succeeded.

"Mr. Knight, I could easily just keep you here, revoke you of your job and just make Leroy do it. But you wouldn't want that, would you?"

His expression stayed impassive, blinking only once and then proceeding to shake his head. Scott was quite the actor, feigning bravery in the presence of this woman. Thankfully, Emma came to the rescue.

"Regina, back away from Scott. Don't threaten him more than Mr. Gold already has."

"No, Ms. Swan. From now on, I will be dealing with Mr. Knight here. You are not to see him or deal with him anymore."

"Why the hell not?" Scott barked, getting up and rattling the bars.

"I don't have to take those kinds of orders from you, Madam Mayor. In case you haven't noticed, you are _not_ my mother and I am _not_ a fifteen- year-old girl."

"The decision is final. Get out." Regina said, with quiet rage, and pointed at the door.

Emma huffed, frustrated as she marched over to her desk to take her keys.

"Swan!"

She spun around, eyes landing on Scott. His eyes said something that his lips didn't.

_Don't go. _

Emma swallowed nervously and shook her head at him. She mouthed,

"I'll find you." Then she turned and left. Scott dropped his hand as a wave of realization hit him. His name wasn't Scott Knight. He wasn't a fisherman. He did not belong in plaid shirts and jeans. He did not belong in this cell. He belonged out there. With Emma.

Emma.

His name was Killian Jones. He was a pirate. He was in love with a princess named Emma and a curse had taken them away from each other.

"You did this to us… Your Highness."

Regina stared at him with daggering eyes. He knew. He remembered. It was only a matter of time.

"Hello Killian," she spoke, accenting each syllable with venom. "How did you remember?"

"Never mind that. Why did you do this?"

Almost cutting him off mid-sentence, "Because I wanted my happiness. You are not to see her anymore."

"Why?" Now he was furious, he shook the bars between them. "You can't keep me from her!"

"Because if you do see her, chances are you'll re-romance her and the curse will break. Just seeing Mr. Gold and Lacey together broke part of that curse."

"So that's it, then? True love?"

She paused, staring him down with her dark brown eyes. "I'm finished here."

Heels clicking away and just before she walked out the door, he spoke up.

"You can try to keep us apart but you're only messing with destiny. And that's not something you want to fool around with, Regina. Think about it."

With that, she left with an evil smirk on her face. He shook the bars once again and slammed his handcuffs against them. He screamed in frustration. How long had he been trapped in this world? Being someone who was just a very pathetic version of himself? Had Emma remembered him at all? Possibly just a glimmer of recognition? Anything at all? He slid down the wall of the cell, burying his face in his hands. What he hated most about this situation was that there was no one to wipe his tears away because she didn't remember him.


	15. Chapter 15 - One, Too Many Drinks

**Another long chapter but it's one of my personal favorites. **

**It was sooooo fun to write and I hope you have as much fun reading it.**

**I do not own Once Upon a Time, or any of its characters. However, I adore them as if they were my own. **

Gold received an urgent call from Regina a short time later. She told him to visit her immediately. As soon as he hung up, he chuckled to himself, knowing full well why she was panicking. What can he say? He knows all.

Walking into Regina's house, he found her sitting behind her desk with her fingers pressed to her forehead. She looked up and saw Mr. Gold, instantly dropping her fingers from her face to the table.

"Well, dearie, you look exasperated. What's wrong?" He asked, a smile forming on his lips.

"He knows," she replied darkly.

"What?"

"He knows! Killian Jones remembers who he is!" Regina screamed at him.

Gold dropped his cane in shock. He was honestly slightly relieved because that meant the curse was being shattered slowly. They'd have their happy endings before they knew it.

"Does he now? How?"

"The Swan girl. Don't ask me how but it was something she did that made him remember. This isn't supposed to happen, Gold!"

"Why not?"

"Because that's my happy ending they're ruining! If they remember, they'll go after me and that's it. I'm done for."

"You had it coming, dearie, let me tell you. You destroy Emma's happiness, ripping them apart from each other all because you were jealous of the girl and her mother because they got the life you wanted and then what, Regina? Did you expect to live in this utopia of yours forever?"

At this, she stayed quiet and looked down, knowing he was right. She couldn't believe she had actually thought that this would last forever. Who was she kidding?

"There's your answer. See, he remembered. As far as we know he's the only one, apart from you and I. Now the spell breaks if true love is restored. I found Lacey, who is actually Belle, and we're in love. That's one part. The Swan girl and Jones have found each other but they don't love each other. Not yet, at least." Gold told her coldly.

"Then help me stop this from happening," she pleaded.

"No, Regina. I want no part in this deal anymore. It's keeping me from being with Belle and I love her."

"Don't you want your power?"

"Yes. But at least I don't go around stealing joy to obtain it. We are done here, Your Highness."

Gold turned to leave and he heard her murmur,

"Good riddance, Rumplestiltskin."

At the same moment, Emma was at home, noticing David had left already. She plopped down on the couch, kicking off her boots and exhaling a frustrated breath. Still trying to wrap her head around what Regina had told her, Emma went to grab a bag of chips from the kitchen. Just as she opened the bag, Mary Margaret appeared. She jumped in surprise, knocking over a glass of water on the counter.

"Emma! I was… not expecting to see you here this early." She mustered out, clearly still in shock.

"Yeah, well," Emma popped a chip in her mouth. "It's not every day the mayor tells you not to do your work so…" She finished with her mouth full.

"What? Why on earth would she say that to you? Sit on the couch so we can have some quality girl talk here." Oh, how Mary Margaret loved those.

"I don't know. Apparently it had to do with Scott. Want one?" Emma inquired while holding the bag toward her best friend. Mary Margaret took one happily and bit into it.

"What does Scott have to do with you not working?"

"She said she didn't want me working with-slash-seeing him anymore. I don't know, I'm not fifteen and she's not my mother. That's my job and I shouldn't be told what I can and cannot do with it. Scott is my business right now."

Mary Margaret clapped a little for her friend. Emma rolled her eyes, thinking she was mocking her but she wasn't.

"Why didn't you tell her that?"

"I did! She wouldn't listen!"

"That last part about him being your business, did you tell her that?"

Emma grew quiet. "No…"

"Why didn't you?" Mary Margaret asked, with a shrug for emphasis.

Why hadn't she said that? She could've but why the hell not? Was it the look in his eyes? Was it because it had almost a moment of intimacy between the two of them when he quietly pleaded her to stay?

"I don't know," was all Emma could tell her.

Mary Margaret nodded to herself and then got up from the couch, holding out her hand to Emma.

"Come on, get up."

Emma looked at her with a puzzled expression, shooting glances between her hand and her friend's face.

"Look, Ruby invited us to a girl's night out at the bar tomorrow night and she even brought over some dresses that you might like so get out of those jeans and go try them on. Kay?"

She smiled at Mary Margaret; somehow she always knew what to say. She took her hand and was told to close her eyes. Before she could count to ten, Mary Margaret was holding up the most amazing little red dress she had seen: tight in all the right places and revealing in the nicest, most mysterious ways. Emma grinned at it and quickly snatched it from Mary Margaret's hand to put it on. Mary Margaret chuckled,

"Glad you liked it! Be sure to tell Ruby about it."

A minute later, Emma emerged from the bathroom wearing the red dress. Needless to say, Mary Margaret's jaw dropped when she laid eyes on her.

"You look… incredible, Emma."

"Thanks. You don't think it's too saucy?" she asked while turning to her backside.

"Of course not! It's so you."

"You think so?"

"Definitely. Red is definitely your color."

Emma smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She had always been comfortable with herself but for once she actually really did feel happy with herself. She knew that no matter what happened during the day tomorrow, the next night would be a very good one.

Lacey knocked on Gold's door twice and opened it before even getting a reply. She barged in and laid her hands flat on his table, making him jump up startled by her entrance.

"Lacey what the he—"

"Release Scott Knight from the Sheriff's cell." She cut him off.

"What? Why?"

"Because, Gold, as you may very well know: Emma can't work his case anymore. If Emma can't even do her job without Regina breathing down her neck, you might as well just have him released. It's pointless! And do you even really need the renovations for the store or was that just adding wood to his flame of anger?"

He'd never heard her sound so poetic when she was angry. At least not when she was Lacey. As Belle… that was a different story. Literally.

"Why should I release him if he stole money from me?"

"Oh you had it coming, Gold. Someone eventually was going to snap and have you pay for it. Be glad it was Scott and not someone else. Besides, this wouldn't be the first time someone's tried to assault you, right?"

Gold thought back to Ashley's incident. She had claimed she was trying to change her life but despite that, she had broken in. Much like Mr. Knight.

"Fine. I'll let him go. I'll tell Regina first thing in the mor—"

"No. Now. I don't want to see him spend another night in there," she cut him off once again. She was starting to sound more like Belle than Lacey. Had Scott remembering who he was have anything to do with this outburst?

Gold sighed, picking up his cane and set of keys, and walking out of his office. Lacey trailed close behind. She called out to him,

"And tell him it was my idea."

"Why?"

"Tell him that we're even. He'll understand why."

And with those words, Gold headed out to the Sheriff's Department. Upon arrival, Killian sat up in the cot, panicking about who could be breaking in.

"Hello?" he called out.

Gold emerged from the shadows.

"Yes, hello, Mr. Knight. I'm here to free you."

Killian scoffed and laughed mirthlessly at that.

"You? Free me? Why the hell would you do that? Didn't you get me in here… Crocodile?"

"Yes, I did. I'm not sorry for that. Now you," Gold told him, unlocking the cell door. "Should thank Lacey. It was her idea to free you. Not mine."

Lacey? Oh, right. Belle. Of course it would be her idea. She had grown on him during the times they'd shared at the bar. Smirking at Gold he said,

"Let me guess. We're even now."

"Yes that's what she told me to tell you."

"And that we are."

Finally freed, Killian sighed with relief, then looked down at his hands and saw that he had both of them. To his astonishment, Gold had almost read his mind.

"By the way, Killian, could you let the Crocodile thing go? I mean, you have both hands now."

Killian thought about it for a moment. He scratched his head and dropped his hand, limp at his side. His head cocked to the side and shrugged at the old man.

"Sure. As long as I get to keep them both! And as long as I keep earning my normal profits. Do we have a deal, Rumplestiltskin?"

Oh, how he loved making deals.

"Yes we do, Mr. Jones."

Tonight was the girl's night out at the bar. Emma was zipping up her crimson bombshell of a dress and stepping into her black heels. Oh how she hated wearing heels. She preferred the comfort of her brown boots and the way they acted as a second skin. But she was going to wear the heels, for Mary Margaret's sake, for Ruby's sake, and for Lacey's sake.

"Emma, are you done? Ruby just got here and she's already getting jumpy!" Mary Margaret yelled from the kitchen.

"I'll be down in a second," Emma yelled back as she decided on whether or not to put her hair up. She decided against it and she strutted out of her room. She wasn't even halfway down the stairs when she heard loud squeals coming from Ruby.

"Jesus, Ruby, how well do your lungs work?"

The tall and pretty brunette clapped excitedly, grinning widely and almost gaping at Emma's presence.

"Very well, as you can tell. But wow, Emma, you clean up good! That red looks great on you. But let's goooooo!"

Before Emma could murmur a 'thank you' to Ruby, she was being dragged out of the house by the wrist. And so the night began.

"Lacey called me and told me she'd meet us at the bar so don't worry, we got a pool table to ourselves." Ruby chattered on.

"Yeah and whoever else you decide to flirt with," Mary Margaret told her, teasingly.

Ruby's hazel eyes turned into daggers as she narrowed them.

"I can't help it. I'm kind of a man-eater. I just need to find the right one for me. Besides, flirting never hurt anyone." She said as she turned her stare to Emma. The blonde shrugged at her,

"What? Do I have to?"

"Why not? You never know, honey." Ruby giggled as they parked and she opened the door. Emma took a deep breath, holding the front seat firmly.

_You can do this, Emma. A little fun once in a while never hurt anyone, got it?_ she thought. The door burst open and you could hear the booming of the beat of the music inside. One more deep breath and Emma walked in bravely.

Lacey was sitting at the bar, a string of drinks in front of her. She looked bored as she played with a loose lock of her updo. She stopped as soon as she heard Ruby's loud squeal. That was basically Ruby's entrance signal. You heard that squeal and you knew who had arrived. Out of the four of them, Ruby was the youngest. Not even old enough to drink yet but what were fake I.D's for?

"Lacey!"

"Oh hi Ruby! Look I got you girls some drinks. But don't let the bartenders see you drinking, they'll kick me out."

"Yeah yeah, whatever." Ruby waved her off, taking a shot glass and drinking it.

All eyes turned to Emma for a second and she had no idea why.

"Emma you should wear dresses more often. You look spectacular in them."

"Everyone keeps saying that, thanks Lacey," she said with a laugh, grabbing a bottle of beer and taking a swig.

"Well, Swan, I didn't know you could drink like that," a voice said.

Emma dropped the beer bottle so fast she was amazed it hadn't broken. She turned around blindingly fast with her hair whipping back with her movement. Her mouth slightly opened and eyes wide, she was not expecting to see Scott there. Why had her pulse quickened?

"Scott… Uh what are you doing here? I haven't let you out. Hell, I didn't come in to work today."

Internally, he cringed at the sound of his cursed name coming from her lips. Outwardly, he smirked with his hands in his pockets and took a step closer to her.

"Well, Mr. Gold let me out thanks to Lacey over here. Thank you, by the way."

Lacey shrugged.

"We're even now."

Even? What was going on? How did they know each other?

"Anyway, lass, I wasn't expecting to see you here. I didn't exactly think you were a bar type of girl."

"And what type of girl did you expect I was?"

He laughed because the Emma he knew was shining through this version of her. _Come on, love, come out._ he thought.

"A badass. Motorcycle revving, independent, stubborn, tough lass that doesn't tend to hang out at bars."

Shit. He saw right through her but she couldn't let him see that. She smiled coyly at him, cocking her head to the side.

"I don't own a motorcycle."

"Does it matter?" he asked, taking his hands out of his pockets and raising them to his sides while shrugging. He stared into her eyes, praying she'd remember something. She stared back and never backing down from his gaze. Mary Margaret looked at Emma, then at Scott, back to Emma. She sensed a connection but she didn't say anything. Letting them have their fun. Taking Ruby and Lacey by the arms, she motioned them away and said,

"Emma, we'll be playing pool over there. Come and find us when you're done."

Emma smiled and nodded at her absentmindedly, still focusing on him. He took another step, closing the space between them, leaving only a few inches of space.

"How about I buy you a drink?"

She hesitated for a moment. What if there was more bad than good in him and she ended up getting hurt again? What if she decided to try again only to have him disappear from her life too? All of these questions soared through her head and she blurted out the opposite to what she was actually going to say.

"Sure."

Oh she was in for it now.

He ordered two beers even though she hadn't finished the one she had been having when he showed up. Emma kept sipping her first one as he got his.

"Don't have to pay me back. It's on me."

"That's generally what 'buying me a drink' means, right?"

"Ooh, I was right. You are a tough one," he remarked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Well, sarcastic actually."

"Ah, what's the difference? I still like that about you."

Emma almost spit out her beer. Her eyes widened for the second time that night at him and she swallowed hard. She had not been expecting that from him. But then again, he was a wild card. Everything about him was unexpected and she was starting to like it… or maybe it was the alcohol making her feel hazy.

A couple of more drinks later, they had kept talking. Emma had been careful not to reveal too much of herself while he listened intently. Really listened, unlike so many others before. At the spur of the moment, a song started playing and she laid a hand on his arm.

"Let's go dance."

"What?"

"Dance with me!"

"Okay, Swan, you're clearly very intoxicated."

"Be quiet and come on, will you?"

Yes. Very drunk. He figured one song and then sit her down again. Her friends would kill him if they saw them like that or maybe they'd be proud of him for helping her let loose a little. Whatever it was, Killian was going to keep a close eye on her.

Emma moved to the beat of the music with her eyes closed and a smile dancing upon her lips. Then she opened her eyes and took his hand. Shocked, he tried to resist but she wouldn't let him. Looks like drunken Emma was far less worrisome about being physical with him than her sober self.

She pulled him close, laughing quietly. Killian could feel her breath on his neck as she closed the space between them. He put his arm around her waist and she grinned. Emma Swan liked it and she wasn't going to make him stop. Not now. They danced way more than just one song until she dragged him away from the floor and into the pool hall.

Great. All her friends will think he drugged her or something. This was not going to be good at all. Killian was bracing himself for the worst when he heard Ruby laughing and pointing at Emma. Bel—Lacey nodded, clapping slowly at him then shouting over the music,

"Congratulations! You did what none of us have ever done before. She let go a little."

Emma laughed loudly, "A little? I lost count of how many beers I had, okay? I let go a lot."

Killian bit his lower lip, eyes widening and trying not to look panicked. Emma had gotten one of the pool balls and was aiming it at a wall. He quickly ran over to her and took it out of her hand.

"Now, Swan. Don't act like a five year old, that's not very attractive."

"You are though," she playfully ran a finger down his chest while smiling at him. He felt his cheeks heating up and he took her by the hand. Mary Margaret put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. He turned to look at her.

"Scott, could you do me a favor and take her to our place? She should have her keys in her purse."

He nodded slowly at first. Home? What was she going to say tomorrow? Bloody hell.

"I'll take her, don't worry. You stay here and enjoy the rest of your evening."

"Thank you! You're quite the gentleman, Scott."

Killian smiled despite himself and told her, "Aye, that I am, Mary Margaret. You're welcome and good night."

He put his arm around Emma's waist and guided her to his car. He figured it would be better if she lie in the back than sit in the front and become dizzier than she already was. Before getting in the car, Killian took off his black leather jacket and threw it over her shoulders. She murmured a sleepy, unfinished "thank you" and closed her eyes.

They arrived at Emma's house and he shook her to try to wake her twice, but she wouldn't wake up. Killian sighed, picking her up, bridal style, and carrying her to the front door. He fumbled for the key that he had taken from her purse. The door opened with a click and he picked her up once again. This time Emma giggled quietly.

"Alright, Emma, do me a favor and tell me where your room is."

Groggily, she pointed up the stairs and told him, "Second door to the right."

"Thanks, love."

Killian gingerly put Emma down on her bed and took off her black heels. How she was able to dance in those, he had no idea. He pulled the covers over her and smiled when he realized she was still wearing his jacket. He turned to leave when he heard her sit up behind him and call out to him.

"Wait! Don't go."

"You need to rest, Emma."

"Don't be like Graham. Don't leave me. Stay with me… please?" her voice breaking at the end for a second.

Graham? Who's Graham? Jealousy boiled in him for a second and then he realized she was drunk, half asleep and cursed so this was not the time to be angry with her. Killian's stare softened as he sighed, kicking off his shoes and removing his red plaid shirt, leaving him in his undershirt and jeans.

"Alright, Swan. I'll stay."

He crawled into bed next to Emma and she immediately moved closer to him. Killian put his hand on the small of her back, rubbing it gently to soothe her sudden outburst.

"Thank you," she whispered into his chest.

"You're welcome… Emma."

At that, Killian fell asleep with a smile on his face because whether or not she was cursed, for the first time in who knows how long, Emma was back where she belonged: safe and sound in his arms.


	16. Chapter 16 - Three's A Crowd

**Ah, yes. A Killian-heavy chapter. And I'm not sorry for that bit of a cliffhanger, oops. **

**I do not own Once Upon a Time, or any of its characters. However, I adore them as if they were my own.**

* * *

The following morning, Killian woke up and Emma was still in his arms. Last night had been quite the adventure… at least for her. He didn't want to think about her reaction if she woke up and saw him there so he got up, picked up his plaid shirt from the floor and buttoned it up. He tucked his boots underneath his arm and tip toed toward the door, stopping and looking back at her.

Killian sighed, the fact that they had never shared any good morning kisses with her as a married couple stung suddenly. He shot a glance at the table next to her and saw the ring he had given her in another world sitting there. He smiled because she still wore it, whether or not she knew where it came from. He turned and walked out of her room.

Just when he made it past the living room, about to grab the handle and get out of the house, Killian heard a voice behind.

"Leaving already?"

He stopped dead in his tracks, dropping his hand and slowly turning around. He hadn't expected to his should-be-mother-in-law standing there. He smiled and nodded once, trying not make the situation more awkward than it was.

"Good morning, Mary Margaret. How are you?"

"Great. Listen… when I asked you to bring her home, I didn't mean for you to sle—"

Killian cut her off, holding up a hand.

"I didn't sleep with her."

Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow as if saying "Seriously?"

"Not in the way you think, at least. I mean I did sleep with her but in… the most innocent sense of the phrase. Just the two of us, asleep, nothing more, nothing else."

"Calm down, Scott. It's okay. Can I ask why you stayed?"

He hesitated, "She said something about not leaving her. Not leaving her like Graham did. Who's Graham?"

He could see the sharp intake of breath Mary Margaret took and she motioned him to sit on the counter opposite her.

"Graham was the old sheriff. He and Emma had had a thing together. It wasn't love, at least not for him. I don't know about her, she never told me anything."

"Why?"

"Well, if you've known Emma for as long as I have, you know that she has walls. Very, very high ones. She doesn't like being emotional with others because she hates feeling vulnerable. But to you last night, when Emma said that, she was. Drunk or not, she never shares extremely personal things like that."

"Well why did he leave her?" Suddenly sounding more defensive than he was feeling. He was relieved that he no longer was around. The thought of her being with someone else was revolting to him.

Mary Margaret sighed, pushing a coffee cup to him.

"Graham died of a heart attack about a year ago. It was unexpected and what's worse, she saw it happen. She saw him die. And I think that's part of the reason why she's so guarded."

All Killian could do was nod and clench his right fist. Emma had been through too much during their cursed time apart and she didn't deserve it, any of it. No one did. And there was only one person to blame: Regina. He wanted answers from her, explaining why she did this to them all. Mary Margaret's voice brought him out of his reverie.

"Why did I tell you all of this? Emma should've told you," she placed her hands on her face, shaking her head.

"We'll keep this as a secret between the two of us, then. And I'll act like I haven't heard it before when she tells me of it. Promise."

Mary Margaret smiled and patted his hand, nodding slowly.

"You're lucky I like you and I want to trust you."

Just then, Emma staggered down the stairs, wearing a tank top, sweatpants… and his jacket. He bit his lower lip, trying not to smile.

"Hey beautiful!" he blurted out.

Emma froze and looked at him, running a hand through her hair.

"Hi. What are you doing here?"

"Well, love, that's my jacket you're wearing. And I brought you home after dancing and drinking last night. And… I stayed."

"Why?"

"Because you told me to."

She knocked over the closed cinnamon container, in shock. She turned quickly to face him.

"I did what?"

He smirked at her.

"You. Told. Me. To." Then he pressed the whipped cream can on her nose and she rolled her eyes. Emma took her finger and scraped it off her nose, licking it off her finger. Killian raised an eyebrow at her, clearly impressed.

"You did. Something about not wanting to be alone, apparently." Mary Margaret chimed in, eyeing Killian to help the situation.

"Oh. Well… thanks."

"No problem whatsoever, love. By the way, that jacket looks very good on you."

Emma looked down at herself, smacking her palm to her forehead. Of course he'd mention that.

"Thanks again. Don't you have anywhere else to be?"

"Emma…" Mary Margaret shot her a look, acting like her un-cursed motherly self, as he remembered it. Emma shrugged.

"I was just asking! Not kicking him out or anything."

"Well, kicking me out or not, no I don't since Gold hasn't really called me in to work and it's also a Saturday." He laughed loudly at her expression of realization.

"Okay was I so out of it that I can't even recall it was Friday night last night?"

"Swan, you asked me to dance and let me tell you, you're a great dancer. And when you want to, you drink like an Irishman, believe me."

She groaned, hiding her face with her arms, resting them against the countertop. Killian reached over to touch her arm and he felt the jolt of electricity he always felt whenever they touched. Emma must've felt it too because her head jerked up. They stared at each other intensely for a moment and he could've sworn he saw her eyes flicker, again, with some kind of recognition of him: the real him.

Killian leaned in closer, rubbing circles on her upper arm where he had touched her and he sighed.

"Wanna go out sometime?" he whispered to her.

"Like on a proper sober date?"

He quietly chuckled, "Yes, love, on a proper sober date. Come on what do you say?"

Emma's eyes widened, almost panicked. No one had asked her out, not since Graham. So, why Scott? Why now? Had he really had that much fun with her the night before or was he just asking for more to see how much he could string her along and then leave her in the dust like everyone else did?

"I'd like that," she blurted out before she could refuse. Deep down, Emma knew why she had yes. When she was alone, she felt like there was storm all around her, all the time. Thunder, lightning, howling winds, the works. But whenever Scott was with her, it seemed like his presence kept that never-ending storm at bay. As if he was the eye of the hurricane.

"Meet me at the pier at 7 tonight. Keep the jacket till then, lass," he winked at her. Emma tried to hold back a smile but she snorted instead.

"I promise."

"And when you promise something, do you never ever break that promise?"

"Lucky guess, babe." Did she just call him babe? Shit.

Killian's heart skipped a beat because she was starting to remember. He didn't know how or when, whether it would be sooner than later, but he just knew she would remember again. That "babe" was just the start of it.

"Well I have to get going then. See you tonight, Swan!"

"Alright, Knight," she chuckled. "It rhymed."

He laughed as he put his boots on, rolling his eyes at her and waving as he walked out the door. Mary Margaret immediately turned off the television from where she was sitting and shot a glance at Emma.

"Did he ask you out?"

"No. He asked me in."

Mary Margaret groaned as Emma giggled.

"Yeah he did, actually. He just said to meet him at the pier at 7 tonight and to wear the jacket."

"Well that's interesting. You know what this means?"

"What?"

"I'm going to go pick out your outfit"

"Mary Margaret! I'm not a little girl! I can do that mys—"

Her friend put up a hand to stop her, shaking her head.

"Emma, trust me."

"Fine. But no dresses! Not tonight!"

"I told you to trust me, my goodness. Now give me the jacket so I can see the whole thing come together."

Mary Margaret got up from the couch and went upstairs. Emma sighed, leaning her head back. In the last twenty-four hours, she had gotten drunk, danced with, slept with, and agreed to go on a date with Scott. Maybe it was time to open up a little more. Maybe.

Killian went into Regina's office, knowing she'd be there and wanted to get some answers. He flung the door open and she turned to him, clearly not expecting his visit.

"Killian. What a surprise."

"Shut up, Regina, and answer me this," he leaned on her desk, staring her down. Where he had gotten the sudden burst of confidence, he didn't know.

"Why did you curse us all?"

Regina laughed, mirthlessly. It was a cruel, dry melody to his ears, making him grimace.

"Because I raised Emma's mother, Snow, or as you know her Mary Margaret. She ruined my happiness. And since it was too late to destroy her happiness with 'Charming', I decided her daughter would be my victim. I'd destroy Emma's happiness, which meant ripping her away from her true love, you. By hurting her daughter, I'd hurt Snow. Everyone else just got in my way. There. You have your answers, are you satisfied?"

Killian took a deep breath, trying hard not to flip the desk he was leaning on. He had never felt this angry before.

"So what you're trying to tell me is that you ruined all of our lives because of one moment of weakness of yours? Because you were jealous of the lives they got?" He was accenting every word almost as if with poison, Regina's eyes never moving away from his.

"Regina, this is a new low. I knew you were ruthless but I didn't know you were petty. I swear that this curse will be broken and we'll all get our happy endings back. I will also make sure that you get what you deserve and that you regret everything you've done. My business with you has finished here."

His quiet rage actually frightened Regina but she didn't admit that. Instead, she stood up from her desk and smirked at his back as he was walking away from her.

"I'd like to see you try, Mr. Jones."

"That's Captain Jones to you, Your Majesty."

The door slammed behind him and that was the end of Regina's reign of fear.


End file.
